I want to speak to the brothers for a second. I’m not talking about the cool dude that can pass for Black. I’m not talking about the Latino men who are also Black as well. I’m not talking about the African and Arab immigrant that chums it up with the American Black man, then goes back to his community and plot on ways to get over on him. I want to talk the BROTHERS – those that are unapologetically Black because we can’t finagle our way into another racial demographic. I want to talk to the Black man that doesn’t deny his history of being born in this land as former slaves, those who grew up in America on Americanisms before we knew there was a such thing as Americanisms.

I want to talk to the Black man that literally grew up on hip-hop because it was the only music that spoke to our plight, the Black man who dressed in hip-hop clothes before the term hip-hop clothes even existed. I want to talk to the Black man who saw cocaine and crack enrich our lives and our communities, only to decimate it later. Yeah, I want to talk to my brothers and deliver this message.

Brothers, there is a war being waged against us . . . and we have no allies.

From our very first days in the land of what is now known as America, Black men have been targeted. There are historical accounts of slavers’ abuse on Black men. Castrations and hangings are well-known, but there were even more sinister accounts of slavers tying the limbs of Black men to two horses facing opposite directions, then whipping the horses to force them to take off at full speed. The sheer force would literally tear the bodies apart! (If you look closely at the Levi’s logo, you will see this.)

There have been accounts of slavers cutting babies from the womb of the mother while the child’s father was forced to watch. These are just a few of many atrocities, physical and mental, inflicted upon Black men. See, it was well understood that if you destroy the head, the body will fall. So, if the slavers ( who comprised the government of that time) wanted to keep their Black slaves in check and quell rebellion, then they would have to neutralize the leaders of the Black community – the men. Without men to protect, guide, and support the women, the slavers (government) could do what they wanted to do to the women and their offspring. By humiliating and killing the men in front of the women, they demonstrated to the women that their men were powerless to help them. Once they convinced the women of this, they could indoctrinate them with whatever agenda they saw to fit their needs. Without strong men to oppose their agenda, the ruling class could have their way. So, they waged a continuous war against Black men – who had no allies.

Fast forward a few hundred years, and the same war is being waged. It’s just more hidden and caculated. Instead of hanging Black men in trees, they are now hanging them in prison cells (I even had the privilege of being confined to one of these prisons with dorms named after trees. Wtf?) Instead of castrating Black men physically, today they are emasculating us economically by depriving us of equal opportunity at quality employment. Today, the physical violence has been amplified by what some would call “race soldiers.” Nearly every day in America, a Black man is abused or murdered by a police officer. On video, police are seen choking Black men to death. They are seen shooting Black men in the back as they flee for their lives. On video, police are seen blowing our brains out at a traffic stop. In every case, where has our calvary been? Who have been our allies in this war? Who has helped Black men fight back? Who has come to our aid with resources to assist us in this fight? No one, that’s who!

I’m boldly proclaiming “Black men” because other so-called minority groups have their coalitions and resources to help their fight. The LGBT have their advocacy groups that are so powerful they are bullying the NBA. The Jews have the JDL, as well as their banks. The Italians have the Italian-American One Voice Coalition, as well as their unions (and mafia.) The Asians have the AALDEF, as well as their “Chinatowns” that can wield influence in their causes (you see how the Asian community put pressure on the Brooklyn DA in the case against the Asian cop that killed a Black man.) For the Black man in America, the organizations that are supposed to help us fight are either pushing an agenda that counters our needs, are divided on what our needs are, or are infiltrated by cointelpro. The results? An overwhelming number of Black men are, realistically in practice, living no better than we did in slavery. We still cannot adequately provide for our families, our women still don’t trust or respect us, we don’t control any resources, and we are powerless against the system that made us this way. To be sure, this is no accident.

We are at war with systematic racism that reinforces White Supremacy and Black inferiority. We are at war with a system that has historically subjugated the Black man in all areas of advancement (because you cannot control a people without conquering their leaders.) We are, and have always been in this country, at war. Barack didn’t save us, Bernie can’t save us, and Hillary damn sho ain’t gonna save us. We have to do it.

We are at war, and the only allies we have . . . are ourselves. Wake up!

About the Author

KING RICH is the President and Ceo of Street Illustrated Inc. From the Street to the Corporate World, he is committed to bringing the Urban Life Style to the Mainstream.